Google and the Jordanian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, have signed a $10 million strategic agreement.

Under the deal, Google will support Jordanian organisations' efforts to promote their products and services using Google’s advertising platforms, while reinvesting $2.5 million in the local ICT sector.

“Google’s decision to play a more active role in the development of the ICT industry in the kingdom, especially as it relates to entrepreneurship, is a testament to the maturity level of our sector” stated Marwan Juma, Jordanian Minister of ICT.

“This agreement will go along away in building capacity as it relates to strategic digital marketing through know-how transfer from Google to local organizations…a crucial knowledge to have in this day and age”.

The agreement coincided with Google’s biggest ever event in Jordan, developer days bringing together more than a thousand participants ranging from professional developers and webmasters to small business entrepreneurs, computer science professors and students.

G-Jordan, which ran from December 12 to 14 was designed to provide an informal environment for local participants to engage in open dialogue with technology and product experts as they experience Google technologies first hand.

As part of the $10 million agreement with the Jordanian government, Google will reinvest 25 per cent of the amount back into the local Jordanian market, growing local Jordanian digital media start-ups, incubation venture capital, angel funding of the information technology sector and potentially training students in online advertising.

“Initiatives such as G-Jordan Days and this strategic agreement will pave the way for Jordanian entities to have more local and global exposure in the digital world as well as aim at modernising in Jordan's IT ecosystem,” said Carlo D'Asaro Biondo, Google VP Seemea.

“This is a breakthrough deal which we aim to duplicate throughout the Middle East,” added Ari Kesisoglu, Google’s regional manager for the Mena.